The origin of Valencia’s district names

The city’s 87 neighbourhoods and parishes are administratively divided into 19 districts.

The city of Valencia is administratively divided into 19 districts, which are in turn made up of 87 neighbourhoods and parishes. Each one of the districts has an associated origin story. The name of each district gives a good indication of the story.

Ciutat Vella of Valencia , for example, owes its title to the region around which the city was born and from which point it was expanded. It has six neighbourhoods: La Seu, La Xerea, El Carmen, El Pilar, El Mercat and Sant Francesc.

LEixample of Valencia is the new zone, which spread out to the south of the city like an extension at the end of the nineteenth century. It has three neighbourhoods: Ruzafa, el Pla del Remei and Gran Vía.

Extramurs Valencia district is called as it is in order to comprise the whole zone that was found outside of the old walls of Valencia. It is made up of four neighbourhoods: El Botánico, La Roqueta, La Petxina and Arrancapins.

The city’s fourth district is Campanar Valencia, which was a settlement that was formerly known by this name, and which has an urban centre that maintains its same appearance from the past. It has four neighbourhoods: Campanar, Les Tendetes, El Calvari and Sant Pau.

The Zaidía district owes its name to the convent, which had that name and which was found in the northern part of the city, at the crossing of the old bed of the Turia River. It consists of five neighbourhoods: Marchantes, Morvedre, Trinitat, Tormos and Sant Antoni

The Pla del Real district owes its name to the fact that the Royal Palace was found in that part of the city. It is divided into four neighbourhoods: Exposición, Mestalla, Jaume Roig and Ciudad Universitaria

The city’s seventh district is the Olivereta, an undoubtedly ancient name that is perhaps owed to the fact that in ancient times, there was some kind of old hamlet with an old olive grove. Its five neighbourhoods are: Nou Moles, Soternes, Tres Forques, La Fuensanta and La Luz.

The origin of the Patraix district’s name comes from the word ‘Petrair’ or ‘Petraher,’ the name of the old village. It consists of five neighbourhoods: Patraix, San Isidro, Vara de Quart, Zafranar and Favara.

The Jesús district owes its name to the convent of Jesus, which was found near the city’s old insane asylum. Its five neighbourhoods are: La Raiosa, L’Hort de Senabre, la Cruz Cubierta, San Marcelino and Camino Real.

The tenth city district is Quatre Carreres, which owes its name to the clefts and paths that entered through that side of the city. It has seven neighbourhoods: Monteolivete, En Corts, Malilla, Fuente de San Luis, Na Rovella, La Punta and la Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias.

The Poblats Marítims also has its own district. Until the nineteenth century, there were independent towns on the waterfront. Finally, they were annexed to the city. Its five neighbourhoods are: El Grau, Cabanyal-Canyamelar, Malvarrosa, Beteró and Nazaret.

The Camins al Grau district owes its name to the paths that led from the city to the sea. It consists of five neighbourhoods: Ayora, Albors, La Cruz del Grau, Camí Fondo and Peñarroja.

The Algirós Valencia district is called this in honour of the dyke that ran through this whole area, together with the Mestalla area. Its neighbourhoods are: Isla Perdida, Ciudad Jardín, Amistad, La Carrasca and La Vega Baja.

Another symbolic city district is Benimaclet, which was the name of the old Muslim village, which permitted its title to go to an agricultural settlement that was ultimately annexed to Valencia. The district includes its own neighbourhood called Benimaclet, as well as Camino de Vera.

The fifteenth district is Rascanya, which also owes its name to the old dyke that irrigated that area. It has three neighbourhoods: Orriols, Torrefiel and San Lorenzo.

Next to that district appears Benicalap Valencia , the former town centre that owes its title to an Arab village that was found in that place. Along with the neighbourhood that shares its name, there is also the neighbourhood of Ciudad Fallera.

Lastly, the parishes that are found in the city’s metropolitan area and which are administratively a part of the Council of Valencia have their own districts.